Mmm, soup.
Over half of my most beloved recipes are soups or chilis--the Dhal, the Tortilla Soup, the Enchilada Chili. Aside from the fact that I've lucked into fantastic recipes, the fact is, soup is one of the easiest and most rewarding things to cook, especially this time of year as we're heading into cooler weather and a bowlful of thick beany goodness is just what the season ordered.
The great thing about soup is that it's a wonderful way to use up that last tomato or onion, and most recipes are versatile so that you can add in whatever lonely half-dead vegetables you have laying around. A zucchini wouldn't go amiss in this recipe either, nor would a handful of mushrooms.
Most non-cream soups have the same basic procedure: saute the aromatics (as in onion, celery, carrot, garlic, bell peppers--mirepoix, or what Emeril calls the "holy Trinity") in a bit of oil, then add everything else and season. Bring the whole mess to a boil and then simmer it at low temperature until it's all done. Chilis and stews are made basically the same way, just with more vegetables and less liquid. As for liquid, you can substitute vegetable broth, water, tomato juice, or a jar of salsa.
To thicken your average vegetable soup take a handheld blender (I call mine the boat motor) and puree part of the soup for a few seconds; or, in the case of Mexican soups, add in some dehydrated refried beans or mash part of the beans already in the recipe. Just be sure you check the label to be sure your beans are vegetarian--look for them to be labeled that way, although "fat free" refried beans are almost always veg too. Some stores carry refried black beans, which are also tasty. Pintos and black beans are the most oft-used beans in Mexican food, but if all you have are kidney beans, hey, go ahead.
This is one of those recipes for when you don't have anything fresh in the house and just want to throw together something warm and comforting that will give everyone happy tummies. It's all canned and jarred pantry ingredients, but feel free to substitute a whole sautéed onion for the powder, fresh minced garlic, fresh tomatoes, whatever you have.
Embarrassingly Easy Mexican Bean Soup
What You Need:
1 can vegetarian refried beans
1 can pinto beans or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can vegetable broth plus 1 can of water
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 or 2 cans diced green chiles
1 can corn, drained, or 1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
Let's Get it On:
1 - Dump everything but the corn into a soup pot. Stir until refried beans are mixed in.
2 - Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 30 minutes until nice and thick. Add the corn in the last five minutes. Serve hot. Please don't forget to yank out the two bay leaves.
You can serve this as is, or:
Over cooked rice or leftover Spanish rice
With crushed tortilla chips and fakey cheese
Over cornbread (or with cornbread on the side)
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